The Cecil Whig., 1887-05-28
SIMPLICITY IN FUNERALS.
Some Very Sensible Observations That
Should be Needed.

Notwithstanding the earnest efforts
made by many ministers and leading
public journals to restrain the excessive
cost of funerals, the expensive display III
the burial Of the dead is increasing
rather than diminishing. If this eStrav-
agant and utterly uucomper.sating e1-
penditure in funerals was confined TO
people of abundant means who can afford
any outlay on funeral occasions, 1t would
be Il matter of little or no concern to the
public: but 50 far as there has been any
growth of simplicity in funerals, it has
been chiefly among the more intelligent
and opulent people, while those who can
LEAST afford extravagant funerals, are
compelled by what they regard as an
imperlous custom. to exhibit their ap
probation of their dead by the wanton
outlay of money in their burial.
\ great funeral pala !e on the burial
of the private citizen is not only unrea-
souable, but 1t ialrIy crosses the line Of
vulgar display. Grief for the dead is the
most sacred of the orld' S many sorrows.
and it is the last II ing that should be
plraded before the unsympathetlc mul-
titude. Indeed. the burial of the dead
should be rs far removed as possible
from the OUTSIDE world. The dead
should be sacred to the gaze and loving
officers of those whO mourn for them;
aud there should be absolute exclusion
OF the curious ldleIS whose presence so
sadly Jars the saHttity of grief. SO os-
tentatious has become the display of thI
merest regulation /; spect for tie dead,
that many Of the death notices III the
public inuin have added to them the
wise admouitioE-'please omit flowers
and many others have the still better al
"luterment private" These
admouitions forced by the love of lavish
display teach the lesson that ali should
learn, ard tie les. Oh that would save
thousands of poor families from starva-
ton or severest sacrifice for months
after funeral, merely to crafty the
vulgar TASTE for vain pomp and idle cere-
mnny III the burial tf the dead.
Tnis tendency to parade and display
on funeral occasiois is oppressive upon
the largest portion tf citizens in every
community, Tor the majority of the peo-
pie in every city or III ighborhood are in
moderate or straitent d circumstances.
They feel compelled TO initiate those of
fortune in oStcntaticus respect for the
dead. and, between costly casketS, flow
ers, carriages and decking whole fam
lies in the barba rous habilments of
woe, they often involve themss Ives in
debts which they cannot pay or must
practice the Severest self denial for
months thereafter to defIay the cost of
y at is simply a ocktry Of honest
=: ef. 1t is not ouly needless oppres-
son of persons of humble means, but it
is burlesque of the sincere sorrow that
is felt for the dead. The assumption
that love for the dead is exhibited in
pIofusion of costly flowers, or i'll costly
casket, or in long line of costly car
riageS for idle lookers-on is simple far
cica. 1t strips the love for the dead of
lis hoiiest offices and transforms a fun
eral into the empty pomp of vulgar
parade, while it impoverlshes many to
the verge Of want. And why is it done?
Simply because many of those who can
afford it, make parade of funerals, as if
parade and extravagance were tributes
of respect for the dead; and the poor,
often more sincere III their grlct, are
taught that the measure OF respect for
their loved ones who are called away, is
the measure Of pomp ard extravaganza
exhibited in their burial
The world is growing in intelligence,
and as it advances in enlightened civili-
zation the simplicity of funerals and of
open exhibition of griet for the dead, will
surely follow, just as intelligence IN
crcases, the love of hollow pomp and GER
emony is diminished, and the serverest
simplicity in TIE burial of the dead will
be "a certain outgrowth of a higher stand
AID of culture among the people. The
vulgar display of studio d extravaganza is
il relic Of ignorance, as the ostentatious
parade of woe in unhealthy and unsightly
Grape is Il relic of barl arism, adopted and
so;tened by the caprice of fashion; and
both insult the siucere grief of the honest
heart The burial of the dead is solely
the affair of the sorrow smitten house.
hold, and bereavement can have no taste
or tolerance for the p geant that invites
the Idle multitude aud that eXacts Op-
prcssive tribute from the poor.
There is every reas on for simplicity in
funerals. Simplicity is the only thing
that harmonzos with the grief of the
home that is shadowed by the angel of
sorrow, and the ostentatious display OF
bereavement under the titful regulations
of fashion, oifends the ai1ectionate mem
Org OF the dead Let pulpit and press
Intelligent teachers of every class. unite
to bring into distavor the ostentatious
display of costly funerals and costly fan
tastic mourning apparel, and the poor
will not alone be protected from needless
and opprn ssive expenditure. but all will
be protected from the vulgar pomp and
ceremony which ever mock those who
sincerely mourn the loss of their house
hold gods.